Call for music inspired by Scotland's natural world

A new national competition was launched on Sunday (March 1), calling on musicians of all genres – whether rock, rap, folk, classical, or anything in between – to show their love of nature by writing music inspired by the coasts and waters of Scotland’s beautiful nature reserves.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Fèis Rois have partnered up for the first time for this Scottish contest to entice people to connect with nature through music.

Called In Tune with Nature, the venture will be judged by a panel of well-known faces from the Scottish music industry, including Julie Fowlis, Vic Galloway, Gill Maxwell, and Karine Polwart, and it will form part of the celebrations for the Year of

Coasts and Waters 2020. Stuart MacQuarrie, SNH’s Head of Nature Reserves, said: 'There’s so much to be inspired by on our nature reserves, particularly during the Year of Coasts and Waters 2020. We have such an amazing variety of marine wildlife and seabirds in Scotland, as well as stunning beaches, lochs and rivers. It’s hard not to be inspired by such beauty.

'Music and nature have so much in common – we can’t wait to hear what people come up with to make us see these special places in a new light.'

Fiona Dalgetty, chief executive of Fèis Rois, added: 'We are thrilled to be collaborating on this new project with SNH. Musicians have an invitation here to make a creative response to the climate challenge affecting our natural heritage in Scotland today.’

Musicians aged 16 and over are invited to compose a piece of music inspired by one of 10 national nature reserves across Scotland. Winners will receive a £500 cash prize, as well as the opportunity to take part in live performances throughout the year. Each winner will also make a film on the nature reserve which inspired their music with a professional film-maker.

Entries can be in any style of music and may or may not include lyrics. References to local culture, language and tradition are encouraged. New Gaelic songs are particularly encouraged in the Beinn Eighe and Creag Meagaidh areas, as are songs written in Scots and regional dialects in other areas.